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Take a look: "Cars 2" and Michael Wallis
Published: 6/22/2011 1:40 PM
Last Modified: 6/22/2011 1:40 PM

Tulsa writer and Route 66 guru Michael Wallis provided the voice of the sheriff and served as Pixar's guide along the Mother Road for the 2006 smash "Cars."
That gravelly voice returns in Friday's release of the sequel, "Cars 2," just in a smaller part.
His role as the sheriff of the southwestern town of Radiator Springs (a 1949 black-and-white Mercury Police Cruiser) isn't as large as this movie centers around a grand prix race that takes Lightning McQueen, Tow Mater and their pals around the world.
"I immediately fell in love, not only with the studio, but with all the people," Wallis said in a 2006 interview with the Tulsa World of his first encounter with "Cars" director John Lasseter and his team at the toy-filled Pixar campus in Emeryville, Calif. "They are unquestionably -- and I've worked with a lot of photographers, other writers, magazines, publishers, poets, musicians, actors through the years -- the most creative bunch of people I've ever been around."
Wallis educated the Pixar folks on the Mother Road, road-tripped across several states with them, and invited them to Tulsa.
The Pixar contingent flew into Tulsa, stayed at the Ambassador Hotel and McBirney Mansion and "fueled up on a big breakfast at Ollie's," Wallis said of his new friends in the movie business.
For a look at "Cars 2," check out the trailer for the film, opening Friday in Imax and 3-D formats as well.

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I See Movies for Free

“I was born a poor, black child” … not me, actually, but Steve Martin’s character in the “The Jerk.” That absurd opening line is just one of the absurd number of film facts, quotes and minutiae contained in movie critic Michael Smith’s brain, at his disposal to toss out on a moment’s notice. It’s a key requirement as Tulsa World film critic to know these things. Michael learned a few other life facts along the way (seven years as a Crystal’s Pizza & Spaghetti manager) before attempting journalism and joining the Tulsa World in 1996, where he’s covered everything from a school shooting in Fort Gibson to a tornado in Stroud to witnessing an execution. A little community theater coverage was sprinkled in there, too. Movies engender many of his happiest memories, from standing in line for “Star Wars” and “Grease” at the Southroads Cinema to the James Bond and Pink Panther movies that always premiered at the enormous Continental Theater.

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Archive

Past Articles By Michael Smith

2/16/2013		Broken Arrow movie theater moves to discount showings
2/15/2013		Review: 'Amour'
2/15/2013		Review: 'A Good Day to Die Hard'
2/15/2013		Review: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/14/2013		Review: 'Quartet'
2/14/2013		Shirley MacLaine to speak at Osage Casino
2/14/2013		Weekly rewind: February 14
2/14/2013		REVIEW: 'Beautiful Creatures'
2/12/2013		Belgian best picture hopeful 'Amour' opens in Tulsa on Friday
2/10/2013		'Die Hard' marathon at AMC Southroads on Wednesday ends with new film
2/9/2013		Review: 'Identity Thief' a stupid movie from stupid idea
2/8/2013		Oscar audit: Critics choices for best picture hold up over time

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